This weekend marks ten years since the final commercial flights of the McDonnell Douglas DC-10 took place.
Between 20-24 February 2014, Biman Bangladesh Airlines flew a series of charter services out of Birmingham Airport in the UK to allow enthusiasts and fans of the classic tri-jet airliner to take one final flight before the airline flew the aircraft back to Bangladesh and retirement.
Biman at the time had become the last airline in the world still flying the DC-10 on passenger services, and its retirement meant it was no longer possible for the public to fly on the type.
Other airlines, once synonymous with the DC-10, had gradually gotten rid of their fleets through the 1990s and early 2000s.
Following Biman’s final flights, it left only cargo and military variant DC-10s still in operation.
Biman’s DC-10 Fleet and Fates
Clik here to view.
Mark Tang (GFDL 1.2 <http://www.gnu.org/licenses/old-licenses/fdl-1.2.html> or GFDL 1.2 <http://www.gnu.org/licenses/old-licenses/fdl-1.2.html>), via Wikimedia Commons
Biman Bangladesh took delivery of three DC-10s in 1983, replacing older Boeing 707s and featuring on the airline’s intercontinental schedules to Europe and Asia. They operated alongside Airbus A310s on principal routes.
Later, more DC-10s were added, bringing the total number flown to eight.
However, with the introduction of the Boeing 777-300ER in 2011 and -200 in 2014, the older tri-jets were retired. Today Biman also flied the Boeing 787-8 and -9 Dreamliner.
Biman’s DC-10 fleet and their fates are as follows:
S2-ACO (46993/263), DC-10-30, 1983-2014 – Scrapped 2015
S2-ACP (46995/275), DC-10-30, 1983-2013 – Scrapped 2016
S2-ACQ (47817/300), DC-10-30, 1983-2014 – Scrapped 2017
S2-ACR (48317/445), DC-10-30, 1988-2014 – Scrapped 2015
S2-ACS (46543/341), DC-10-30, 1999-2014 – Scrapped 2015
S2-ADA (46999/289), DC-10-30, 1993-1994 – To freighter conversion. Scrapped 2013
S2-ADB (47818/305), DC-10-30, 1993-1996 – To Caledonian Airways. Scrapped 2018
S2-ADN (46542/295), DC-10-30, 2000-2005 – Destroyed in landing accident, Chittagong 2005
Who Flies the DC-10 Today?
Clik here to view.
Ministerio de Relaciones Exteriores from Perú, CC BY-SA 2.0 <https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/2.0>, via Wikimedia Commons
Following Biman’s retirement of the world’s last passenger-carrying DC-10 aircraft, it left only cargo and military operators flying the type.
The US Air Force remained the largest operator, flying the KC-10A variant which operated in aerial refuelling and transport roles. However, these aircraft performed their final active duties in late 2023 and are currently being retired, with all expected to be grounded by late 2024.
FedEx were also a large operator of the type, with many converted into MD-10 standard with updated cockpits and avionics. However, these have also now been retired.
Other active airframes include one used by Project Orbis as a flying eye hospital.
Clik here to view.
Omega Air DC-10 (c) Phil Vabre
Omega Air has three active airframes, used as aerial refuelling platforms.
Clik here to view.
Infinimeme, CC BY-SA 4.0 <https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0>, via Wikimedia Commons
10 Tanker Air Carrier flies four specially converted DC-10s which act as aerial firefighting platforms, capable of dropping thousands of litres of water or retardant on wildfires. They are based in New Mexico, but operate where the need arises.
Finally, TAB Cargo of Bolivia still has one active MD-10-30 freighter aircraft which can often be seen across South America and even in Miami on cargo flights.
Did you fly on the final Biman DC-10 flights ten years ago? What are your memories of the DC-10? Leave a comment below!
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